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Monday, October 25, 2010

Brad called me one day not too long ago and told me that I needed to go take pictures for him. So I went. (Because I do everything he tells me to do. Um…yeah.) But I’m so glad I went because I learned a whole lot about old school farming. And Blair had fun. That’s always a plus!
So I drove to the location to which I was directed and immediately was in awe. In a small field next to a small house and repair shop on a highway, was an antique tractor and some huge brown piles. I’d never seen anything like it in my life.

Blair and I pulled over to take the pictures and out came the farmer to chat. We got the whole scoop. These are stacks of peanuts.

This farmer is in the process of a project he is doing for fun – growing peanuts like they did way back when. He is using antique equipment, including Brad’s grandfathers peanut hay baler, and the farming practices to go along with them.

He planted a small dry land plot of peanuts next to his house and dug them them with this tractor and plow around the end of September.

Under the engine of the tractor the digging blades are attached. Then the plow pulls the peanuts from the ground and sets them back down.

Using the old plow, the peanuts look like this after digging – almost like they are still planted.

Peanuts dug with modern equipment are flipped over so that the leaves are on the bottom and the peanuts on top. (These are pretty dry already, but you can see the peanuts on top!)

After digging the peanuts, he and some helpers used pitch forks to pick them up and stack them to let them dry. Each pole has two boards attached to it at the bottom. The boards form a + at the bottom of the pole, and it’s the + on which the peanuts rest.

Nowadays, farmers let the peanuts dry in the field exactly as they were after they were dug.

These peanuts were dug with modern equipment. They have dried and are almost ready to be “picked” (by a machine of course).

Whereas peanuts don’t take very long to dry laying out in the field, the peanut stacks take almost two months to dry!

The outside of the stack looks dry, but look at the green leaves you find if you dig in it a little!

And the stacks are massive – taller than I am. And look at sweet Blair. She pulled off peanut after peanut and brought them to me to open.

The farmer showed me how the big boys played with him when he was little – by giving him a peanut earring!

He plans on picking the peanuts just before Thanksgiving. It is then that he will use Brad’s grandfather’s peanut hay baler to bale the peanut hay. If I’m able I’ll be there to take pictures!

Farming has come so far, but life is not much easier for them! There are now fewer farmers than ever feeding more people than ever.

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comments:

I'm so glad we don't have to stack all 150 acres of our peanuts! We have a neighbor who stacks his peanuts, of course, he only has a large garden full. I never really understood the point of stacking them, why not just leave them in the rows? Guess I should ask my neighbor!

I ride by that field every morning when I come to work. Every time I see it, I think about my daddy. About 6-7 years ago, we did a family float for the Christmas parade in downtown Rochelle....it was Daddy's idea. He had an antique tractor that he restored and wanted to put it in the parade with a float. So we did! Our float that year was themed, "A South Ga Family Christmas", and guess what he insisted we have on there? A peanut stack! I'd never seen one before...it looked like a peanut Christmas tree - lol! We made a little red bard and all acted like we were sitting around a camp fire. What great memories!

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Child of God, wife of a farmer, mom to a miracle, RN; picture taker, animal lover, Spanish speaker, world traveler, former high school teacher. I love food, knitting, blogging, and living in a small town. I write about a little of all of the above!

Brad is my husband of 6 years and the reason I live across the branch. From a very young age he knew he'd be a farmer. God gave him the love and the talent -- and he's the best looking and the best dressed farmer I know! He's funny, creative, and he's the most wonderful husband and father. He's the one that can make Blair light up like no other.

Blair is four! We are so blessed to have her. She was born very sick, but God gave her strength and brought her through it. She has hearing loss called Auditory Neuropathy and wears hearing aids. She also has chronic lung disease, but you wouldn't know by seeing her! She is the busiest, funniest little thing who keeps us laughing and on our toes. I thank God for her every day.

Leighton is the happy roly poly who joined our family this summer. He has been a joy and is as sweet as his big sister! He's such a blessing, and we're so thankful for him!